


Why, Oh Why?

by 1JettaPug



Category: Guardians of Childhood & Related Fandoms, Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angst, Explanations, Fearlings, Feels, Past Relationship(s), Post-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 19:58:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11111763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1JettaPug/pseuds/1JettaPug
Summary: The realm of nightmares had always been a miserable place. Light was scarce and hardly ever flickered down from the surface above. Foul-smelling water dripped down the stalactites that hung from the high ceiling. Large rodents or Nightmares chased each other across the endless caverns seeking some sort of dark sustenance from which to feed from. How had this become the Nightmare King's home?





	Why, Oh Why?

The realm of nightmares had always been a miserable place. Light was scarce and hardly ever flickered down from the surface above. Foul-smelling water dripped down the stalactites that hung from the high ceiling. Large rodents or Nightmares chased each other across the endless caverns seeking some sort of dark sustenance from which to feed from. How had this become the Nightmare King's home?

It was just past midnight, and all was quiet except for the occasional whinny from a Nightmare. Yet through the heavy silence soft, gentle breathing could be heard echoing throughout the ominous realm as someone floated down from the surface.

It's the smell that alerted the Nightmares. The strong smells of vanilla and honey smoothly danced around the air until it struck the dark mares and made them stomp their hooves in irritation. Irritation instead of rage because even they knew that they were not powerful enough to even attempt to threaten the being that had entered their caverns. Instead, they trotted off into the shadows, keeping a very close watch on the intruder.

Wisps of golden sand floated slowly through darkness, carrying with them the Guardian of the wishes and dreams of children. He had wrapped himself in a long golden cloak for the occasion, finding these caves always sent a chill racing down his spine. He cautiously made his way past a row of empty beds stacked on top of each other, sparking the interest of the Nightmares underneath of them.

With every passing minute, his pace became slower and slower, and he found it harder and harder to hide his fears from the dark beasts surrounding him. He took in a deep breath and put on a determined face. He could do this. He had to do this. There was no other choice.

The Nightmares only became more grotesque as he went on. The deeper he plunged into the endless halls of despair and nothingness, the crueler and more dangerous the fears became.

He did not pay them a single glance. He would let them try to make him look into their eyes, look into the dark void of true terror and fall victim to it. 

Instead, he set his sights on an enormous door at the edge of one of the hallways.

At last, it seemed, he would get an answer to his question that had been consuming his thoughts and dreams for weeks. The only one who could answer his question was the dark being behind those doors.

He floated near the door but stopped when several Nightmares poked their heads out from the shadows. He knew that they had been watching his every move, and he knew that they were not at all ready to attack him unless he provoked them. The golden figure simply waved at them and continued to grow nearer to the doors.

He turned the large, circular handle and slowly pushed the door open. A deep breath was inhaled before the small, light Guardian entered the gloomy, cold bedroom.

Without a sound, he gently landed on the obsidian ground, looking about with a furrowed brow for the one being he was here to see and speak with. He could hear him hissing ancient curses under his breath, but he was no where to be seen.

He left him waiting for a few moments before finally acknowledging his visitor. It was his first visitor (who seemed to mean him no harm) in the first time in centuries, and he knew who it was without even looking; there was only one spirit who would ever delve this deep into the nightmare realm.

"Sanderson," It came out more as growl than anything. "So, to what do I owe this honor? Have you come to see how far I have fallen?" There was such a regal authority and power to his voice; it had been known to bring even full grown adults to their knees in fear.

Sandy held back a shiver and gave the shadows a little wave, not knowing where exactly the Nightmare King was hiding himself in the room.

"I have heard rumors that Frost has gained more and more believers," he spoke in a vile hiss.

Sandy nodded; it was true. But he hadn't come all the way down here for some gossip about his fellow Guardians. He conjured up a golden figure of the Boogeyman above his head and a question mark.

"You don't get to ask me anything in my own realm, Sanderson." His voice dropped even lower, more threatening. "This is my domain, and regardless of the strength of my power, I am master here."

Sandy got rid of the question mark and just held the golden figure up higher.

"So you want to talk about me?"

He nodded.

"...No," he snapped his fingers and a wave of dark sand attempted to force Sandy outside his room. Due to his weakened state, however, all he could manage was to nudge him back a foot or two. "Get out already, you little cream puff. I'm in no mood to deal with you."

Sandy created a few golden 'Nightmares' alongside his version of the Nightmare King. Once more, they were shoved up higher into the darkness for the real King to see them.

"So you want to know why I did it? It that it?"

Sandy threw up a golden 'y' and a pocket watch, hoping that he wouldn't get angry with him asking a question again.

"Why now?" Then there was a long, deep sigh, and the Nightmare King dramatically fell from the shadows of the ceiling and fell onto his bed. "I thought just my reason for being the Boogeyman would be simple enough explanation for you Guardians. Then again, you're not like the others, Sanderson." He sat up on the bed and finally looked at the Sandman.

Sandy's face almost fell. This wasn't the face of a proud, powerful Nightmare King. It wasn't an eerie grin or smug expression of the Boogeyman. It was the face of a man who had hit rock-bottom and whose looks had faded into a permanent, sorrowful scowl.

"Don't give me that look, Sanderson." he hissed at him. "I've gotten plenty of them from my own Nightmares."

The golden Guardian sighed; at the rate this one-sided conversation was going, it was going to be Christmas before he got anywhere with him.

"And don't think you can-"

_"Pitch,"_

Silver and gold eyes narrowed their gaze at the Sandman. "So now you choose to talk." he sneered. "In our old tongue, no less."

_"Listen, please. I have only come to talk with you."_

"No you came here to _try_ to talk to me." Pitch told him. "I'd give you a gold star for effort, but I'm afraid all I can make are black ones."

_"I just wanted to know why you did what you did at that time. Can you blame me for trying to find out your reasons for taking such extreme measures?"_ Sandy lowered his head at that. He knew one of the big reasons. He was the only one who knew. He was the only Guardian that knew just how alone Pitch was in the world, especially as time marched on. Easter and Christmas, Tooth fairies and sweet dreams all continued to grow and expanded their belief in children all over the world. Yet as their power grew, fear and all its influences began to fall and slip down beneath the notice of the humans. The Nightmare King had become an outcast, and his last battle against the Guardians had all but cemented that as fact.

_"The children still believe in you, you know?"_ Sandy asked.

Pitch lowered his head and stared at the bed. He remained silent.

Sandy slowly began to approach him on his cloud. _"You know, I realized as I began to plan my trip down here, that I may be the only Guardian with any compassion for you. I know the others would rather see you fade from existence, even knowing that you can never truly fade away. They especially wanted to see you vanish after they watched you shoot me in the back."_

A small, golden hand rested itself on top of a grey arm. _"But I wouldn't allow it. Even after-"_

"Shut up and sit down," he snapped at him. Sandy silently took a seat on the bed and sat next to him. "Just sit down and... and please don't say a word."

Sandy nodded. He'd let Pitch take all the time in the world.

The Nightmare King closed his eyes and laid back on the bed. "I will tell you about my reasonings for my attempt at power," he said. "But do consider yourself warned, Sanderson."


End file.
